Excavator bucket or shovel.



R. M. DOWNIE.

EXCAVATOR BUCKET OR SHOVEL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-. 21. 1916.

1,237,879 Patented Aug. 21,1917.

TE Sana r m amen ROBERT M. DOWNIE, F BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 KEYSTONE 1 DRILLER COMPANY, OF BEAVER FALL$,'PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- sYLvAnm.

.nncavaron nucKnron SHOVEL.

Patented Aug. 21, 191?,

Application filed November 21, 1916. Serial No. 132,637.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT M. DOWNIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaver Falls, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Excavator Bucket or Shovel, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has reference to excavator buckets or shovels, particularly those of the skimmer type, and its object is'to provide a construction of bucket and mounting thereits for, whereby accurate cutting may be obtained, and whereby distortion of the bucket under heavy strains is prevented.

The bucket is particularly adapted V for use in connection with a dredging machine having a boom with longitudinal tracks or channels therein for the support and guidance of the bucket. Ordinarily the boom is made of channel beams either of single chanml or I form, and the bucket is provided with a dumping bottom. The body of the bucket is open at the top, bottom and front end and closed at-the rear end, while the bottom is continued beyond the front end .of the bucket and is there provided with an earth-entering end and which may or may not be provided withteeth.

In another application, Serial No. 80,479, for an excavator bucket or scoop, filed February 25, 1916, asimilar form of bucket or shovel is shown and described with theshovel mounted to travel along trackways in till a boom. However, the shovel is there somewhat differently supported from the arrangement shown in the present application.

In accordance with the present invention the shovel is mounted upon hangers carrying wheels or rollers arranged to travel in the longitudinal runways in the boom. One of the hangers is located between the front and rear ends of the shovel to support the latter at about its center of gravity between the cling in'the runways in the boom, thereby front and rear ends, so that when the shovel is loaded .the load is supported almost entirely by the front h'an er. The rear hanger is so located that it oes not support any material portion of the load, but serves largely. as a guiding hanger. Both hangers are provided with rollers or wheels trav reducing friction with the rear rollers acting as guiding rollers for the shovel holding it in alinement with-the line of travel along the boom.

Thefront hanger'is a rigid structure, rigidly connected to the sides of the shovel so A that the wheels or trolleys on opposite sides of the boom are maintained in fixed relation to each other and continueinperfect alinement with each other and with the boom tracks. The front hanger acting as a brace rigidly connects the sides of the shovel preventing it from springing or spreading and rigidly bracing the shovel as a whole against warping should one of the front cornersbe caught under a rock or other obstruction, as frequently occurs in digging up old macadam or asphalt streets. Because of the strains to which the front hanger is subjected it may be made'of a solid forging in one piece and extends from side to side of the shovel beneath the boom.

Furthermore, the front hanger is provided with series of holes in upstanding arms on opposite sides of the boom, where by the front trolley wheels may be adjusted to vary" the inclination of the shovel with relation to the line of travel along the boom.

.Ofcourse, the same feature of inclination may be accomplished by providing the rear hanger with holes, but ordinarily it is advantageous tohave the holes in the front hanger. The rear hanger is rigidly cone nected to the bucket, but as it serves more the purpose of a guiding structure than of a supporting structure, and is not subjectedto theheavy strains of the front hanger, it need not be a solid rigid forging, but may be otherwise constructed and may be made of two or more ieces.

Since the ucket provided with a dump-" ing bottom has the sides otherwise tunbraced' except by the" bottom itself where hinged -to the sides ofthe shovel, such hinge con- I nections are liable to injury and the shovel the front-edge of the bucket may be projected ayconsiderable distance beyond the front of the boom without causing the front trolley wheels to leave the boom. This is advantageous in excavating, because after removing a bucket load of dirt from a bank or the like, the boom may be dropped to excavating position without interference from the unexcavated portion of the bank.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the boom with the bucket or shovel thereon, the boom being indicated as in a horizontal position.

Fig. 2 is a side 'elevation of the boom in an inclined position, with the bucket in longitudinal section and with the bottom of the bucket swung open.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

F ig. 4 is an end elevation of the rear end of the bucket showing the boom in cross-.

section and omitting certain parts.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a boom 1 which in the particular construction illustrated is composed of I beams 2 placed side by side, but spaced apart a short distance to accommodate certain structures. The outer channels of the I beams constitute tracks 3 for an excavating bucket or shovele furnished with a dumping bottom 5 having a hinged connection 6 with the bucket at the front end of the'body of the bucket. So far as the gene a1 construc tion of the bucket or shovel is concerned, it may follow the'lines' of the *bucket or shovel shown in the aforesaid application, and hence needs no particular description. The bottom 5 is provided with a forward earth-entering edge having cutting teeth 7.

The forward edge of the bottom 5 and the teeth 7 project a considerable distance beyond the front edge of the body of the bucket. The bucket body iseifectively a one-piece structure even when made of more thanone piece, and is usually constructed of heavy sheet metal constituting the rear end and the opposite sidesof the bucket, the top, bottom and front of the bucket being open with the bottom 5 constituting a normal closure for the bucket but capable of moving to an open position for dumping.

Since the means for holding the bottom of the bucket in the closed position and the means-for releasing the bucket to move to the open position constitute no part of the present invention, no description of such parts is given.

The sides of the bucket 4 are secured together by a hanger 8 comprising a cross bar Carried by each arm 11 is a-stud bolt 13 on which is mounted a 'roller or trolley wheel 14 traveling in a respective channel 3 of the boom.

At the back of the bucket are hangers 15 each .carrying a trolley wheel or. roller 16 located in a respective channel 3 of the boom. v

At the front end of the boom is a stop member 17 which maybe in the form. of an angle strip.

The bucket is moved lengthwise of the boom toward the front 'end thereof by a rope or cable 18 fast to the rear of the bucket and extending over a pulley 19 near the front end of the boom.

. The hanger 8 is so located with respect to the length of the bucket that when the latter is loaded, the hanger is at about the longitudinal center of gravity of the shovel or bucket. Because of this the load is almost wholly carried by the front trolley wheels 14 located in the respective channels or tracks 3 of the boom. The'rollers 16 serve principally as guide rollers, and while they may sustain some of the load, it is an immaterial proportion thereof: The rollers 16 in association with the rollers 14 prevent any material side movement of the shovel,

wherefore the latter is kept'in practically 1 strict alinement with the path of travel .along the boom.

The hanger Snot only sustains nearly all of the load, but forms a rigid support and. spacer for the otherwise unbraced portions of the sides of the shovel or scoop 4, preventing any twisting or warping of the sides of the bucket even when subjected to heavy strains s0 applied as to tend to warp or twist the bucket. The bar 9 besides acting as a spacer and brace for the sides of the bucket serves through the arms 11 to rigidly maintain the rollers 1 1 in proper spaced relation and in alinement with the path of travel along the boom.

.Thegreat rigidity of the hanger 8 is of importance because in machines of the character to which the present invention is applicable the boom is relatively narrow, say, about twelve inches, whilethe bucket is relatively wide, often reaching from forty-four to forty-eight inches in wldth.

If the front hanger were built up of two or more parts supported only by the sides of the shovel at the ends of the hanger, the latter would inevitably spring up or down at the center under the weight or lift of the boom, thus causing disalinement of the trolleysorthe production of: undue friction in the runways. Moreover, the rigid hanger permits the attachment of the hauling line to t he rear wall of the shovel, while the uptaken load is in front of and below the point at which the hauling line is anchored. It is the rigidity of the one piece riveted hanger .130

nasvgsve shovel without disturbing any other parts i of the structure.

- By positioning the front hanger at about the longitudinal center of gravity of the shovel, it not only sustains practically all to the one piece hanger 8 riveted to the the load, but the front or cutting end of the shovel projects beyond and freely underneath the front end of the boomin loading. The shovel thus takes up materialv beyond the end of the boom, which material would otherwise prevent lowering the boom far enough for the next cutting operation of the shovel, Furthermore, the front trolley wheels are still on the boom when the front cutting edge is projected to its full extent beyond the front end of the boom.

The rigid construction of the bucket due sidesofthe bucket beyond liability of loosening or material give of any parts,.

renders the bucket or shovel particnlarly efficient in taking up loose material or in removing the surface layers of roadways where such layers are formed of macadam or the like. No trouble is experienced in using the bucket or shovel in excavating or removing material where heavy obstructions are met, since there is no danger of displacing the bucket on the boom or warping or distorting the bucket.

Moreover, the line of travel of the bucket may be made to strictly conform to the length of the boom, and consequently in skimming'the surface is left particularlysmooth or level, so that roadways may be skimmed closely to s ecifications and waste due to irregular gra ing is avoided.

While in the drawings .and in the foregoing description there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to exact conformity to the showing of the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications come within the scope of the appended claims. T

at is claimed is 1. In an excavating machine, a boom having longitudinal runways, a bucket, and means for carrying the bucket along the boom comprising suspension means rigidly fixed to and rising above the rear portion of the bucket and provided with means for traveling in the runways, and other suspension means rigidly fixed to the sides of the bucket between the ends thereof and in-'- ,cluding a substantially straight one-piece portion extending across and connecting the sldes of the bucket to prevent spread or collapse thereof, and located above the bucket,

said one-piece portion being provided with I means for traveling along the runways and with which means it is adjustably connected to provide for tilting the bucket-with respect to its line of travel along the boom.

2. In an excavating machine, a boom having longitudinal runways, a bucket, means entering and movable along the runways,

and suspension means for-the bucket including a. substantially straight cross barabove the bucket and at the ends rigidly connected to. the .sides of the bucket at points approximating the center of gravity of the bucket between its ends, said cross bar being also connected to corresponding portions of the means entering and movable along the runways, and the bucket be; ing open at one end and at the top, whereby the cross bar extending over the top of the bucket and connecting the sides of the bucket serves to prevent either spread or collapse, of the sides of the bucket.

Bil

'3. In an excavating machine, a boom having longitudinal runways, a bucket, and means for carrying the bucket, along the boom comprising means adapted to enter and travel along the runways, and suspending hangers, one of which is a one piece structure extending from side to side of the bucket over the top thereof having its ends rigidly fixed to the sides of the bucket 'andrigidly connecting and spacing the upper portions of said sides and provided with arms connected to the means entering end traveling along the runways and in one piece with the hanger.

4:. In an excavating machine, a boom havinglongitudinal runways, a bucket, and

means for carrying the bucket along the boom comprising means adapted to enter and travel along the runways, and suspending hangers, one of which is a one piece structure having itsends rigidly fixed to the sides of the bucket and extending over the top of the bucket and rigidly connectingand spacing the upper portions of said sides and provided with arms connected to the means entering and traveling along the runways and in one piece with the hanger, said hanger being located with respect to the bucket at a point'approximating the longitudinal center of gravity of the bucket. 5. In an excavating machine, a boom hav ing lon itudinal runways, a bucket, and means. or carrying the bucket along the boom, comprisingv means adapted to enter and travel along the runways, and suspending hangers, one of which is a one piece structure extending above and over the top of the bucket and having its ends rigidly fixed to the sides of the bucket and rigidly connecting and spacing the upper portions of said sides and provided with arms, connected to the means entering and traveling llltil its arm, and trolley wheels or rollers having pivot supports lodged in matching'perforations and movable to others of the perforations, whereby the bucket'may be adjusted with respect to its degree of tilt with reference to the boom.

. 6. In an excavating machine, a boom having longitudinal runways, abucket provided with a dumping bottom, and having the top,

bottom and front end otherwise open, and means for carrying the bucket along the boom, comprising means adapted to enter and travel along the runways, and suspending hangers carried by the means entering the runways and rigidly fixed to the bucket,

oneof the hangers extending crosswise, 0f-

arms spaced to embrace the boom and provided with matching perforations, and the corresponding means entering and traveling along the runways having carrying devices arranged to enter any matching set of perfo'rations, whereby the tilt of the bucket with respect to the boom may be adjusted.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT M. DOWNIE. IWitnesses:

- CHARLES THEO. SMITH, WILL R. Cook. 

